State Trooper

Work state-wide to assist in criminal investigations.

Quick Stats

Outlook

Good

Salary Range

$32,000 – $84,000

Data from U.S. Department of Labor

What do State Troopers do?

State Troopers are Police Officers whose jurisdiction covers an entire state. Just like any other Cop, you can make arrests, carry out investigations, respond to 911 calls, and gather evidence. The only difference is you aren’t confined to one city or town.

Each city and county has its own police force. Within that city, Police Officers are the first to respond when emergency calls come in or arrests need to be made. But when a criminal runs to a new town and a state-wide investigation needs to happen, you—the State Trooper—are the one they call. State Troopers can operate anywhere, which means you aren’t contained by jurisdiction laws that make it illegal for city police to arrest someone outside their city.

You’re also in charge of the state’s highways, which is why most of the time, State Troopers can be found on the road. You clear accidents, arrest drunk drivers, and give out speeding tickets. DUI stops are a big part of your responsibility, and you need to use your judgment and experience to decide who to pull over and test in order to avoid future accidents.

When you’re not handling criminal investigations, you help out with police departments in small towns or counties. These departments usually don’t have a police academy to train new recruits, so they turn to State Troopers for training. You also do forensic work for these counties, since again they usually don’t have the needed labs to carry out complex investigative work.

Should I be a State Trooper?

You should have
a
certificate
degree or higher and share these traits:

Team Player:
You're able to listen, communicate, and work with tons of different people.

Reliable:
You can always be counted on to do a good job.

Calm Under Pressure:
You keep your cool when dealing with highly stressful situations.